I was a mechanic, for 8 yrs, ending '70 but, I still worked on my cars and race cars, from then to now.
I can tell you he cause of why this is but, not the cure. At one time, ALL the auto parts stores knew their business in detail. Up threw the '90's, that remained, fairly stable. The stores employed MEN, that had family's, most of these MEN, came up in the auto parts business or, got into it young and knew their business. They had a large part of the most popular parts, in their head (not computers). You went in, asked for a part, they went back, in the stock room, and brought it to you! Many had more knowledge of what went on a car, than the journeymen mechanics!
Sometime in the '90's, the "corporate mentality" started and larger parts stores, started buying smaller parts stores and I believe (this my own opinion) that when computers started becoming cheap, they computerized the inventory and quickly found YOUNG men knew computers, pretty well and could find parts on them, quickly but, those young men didn't have the automotive back ground the the MEN had nor, knowledge of cars, extending back every far. They could hire the YOUNG, cheaper than the MEN, that had family's to raise and it went down hill fast, from there. Now we have something, more like "checkers" like Walmart has, at the parts counter.
The last real parts guy, I bought from, was about 6-7 yrs ago. I needed a resister for a coil, for a '50's model, and he just went back and grabbed 2, then asked what one would work for me. That parts store was bought and closed, about 3 yrs ago!!!
frnkeore, I have to agree with a tiny bit of your assessment, and disagree with much of it.
It is true that much of the counter help is not very experienced....I mean how much do you expect a high school aged employee to know? When I get this person I judge them by the way they treat me and react to the question at hand right along with their overall knowledge.
If they don't know, but try to figure it out, that is good.
If they don't know and get help to figure it out, that is good.
If they try to buffalo me with some BS about "Ford never made that"......not so good, especially when I have owned and maintained one of those never made cars longer than you have been alive.
If they give me the "unuhhh" answer while almost not acknowledging me....Horrible.
If they are literally in the middle of helping me, then they take the phone call and help that phone call to the end while I stand there wondering what just happened....I get a bit cranky.
As far as counter help goes....well I had that job in the past myself.
I was the era of motor parts books thought, not computer data banks.
As much as it frosts my cherries when they are unable to look up something I have come to understand there is a LOT, LOT, LOT to be desired with the auto parts computer systems.
One major flaw is the narrow point of view most systems operate with.
If the counter help is unable to look up your specific part there is pretty much no other hint, or useful information, to use to guide them further because they literally have no way of finding the parts within the system unless they can direct the computer where to look.
This is, oddly, where the young outshine the old because the young, while not having knowledge in the hard to find parts, generally understand how to manipulate the computer to look where they desire.
As far as the gender of the help goes. I have had a fair share of men who were good counter help, a fair share of men who were just so-so, and a few who were so terrible I wondered how they even mane it to work that day, let along provided any service to anyone.
I have had my share of women who were terrible as well as my fare share of women who were pretty good......But one of the best was a woman named Carrie.
She know the store and could direct you to THE peg hook where something was stocked.
She knew the systesm of many vendors and was friendly with the service people at each company.
She knew the computer system and could look up stuff.
She know the book system enouhg to be proficient in grabbing one and finding what was required.
In my opinion, her best trait was the ability to try....Even when she would get stumped, which was not often, she would tell me, "I'll look into that and call you with what I find" and she would do just that.
I treated her extra specially well because she went well beyond to help me source many odd parts over the years, and she was the main reason I stayed with my local O'Reilly's so long.
Two years ago she was moved on to much better pastures and has been doing excellent work at a local dealership as their service write lead....good for her.
I do have troubles with the counter help, as well as success, but I view the issues from a much different perspective than your story explains.